A Small Matter of Timing
by rhymenocerous
Summary: They've been dancing around one another for months. But their timing is always off. She's pushed him away, he's tried to pull her back to him. Will a friendly game of pool change their lives forever? M for mature language throughout and smut in Ch 2.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I know what you're thinking. Don't you have other stories to update? **

**Yes. Yes I do. But hear me out, okay? This has been in the works for a while as it was a request from a friend and loyal reader waaaaaaay back when. And I've been stalling and stalling, putting it off and using my other stories as an excuse. But guess what? It's finished! Yay! **

**So basically, it's a two-shot (part two is currently being fine-tuned and edited. Patience, my pets. Patience) that kind of builds up to every D/L fan's**** favourite**** game of pool in the history of the world. Don't know what I'm talking about? Pshaw. Stop reading right now, go watch Season Three and then get back to me, alright? Trust me, you won't regret it. :D**

**This fic is dedicated to afrozenheart412 who has been patiently waiting for months, giving me not-so-gentle reminders every once in a while… surprise! Welcome back.**

**** Warning: Spoilers for Sleight Out of Hand and Snow Day. **

**Disclaimer: They're not mine. Yadda yadda yadda. They belong to CBS. Blah blah blah.**

* * *

"Bad day, Montana?"

Lindsay lifted her head from its resting place on her desk giving Danny a wan smile.

"You have no idea, Danny," she replied, sighing as she sat up straight in her chair. "It's just been one of those days, you know? The kind where you wish it was over before it's even really begun."

"I hear you, Linds," Danny said, pulling out his own chair and sitting down, giving her an encouraging grin. "You off the clock yet?" he asked hopefully.

Lindsay turned her wrist, looking down at her watch and letting out a soft sigh as she saw the time.

"Ten more minutes," she said as she pulled a long-forgotten file over to her so that she didn't feel as though she was being a complete slacker for the last few minutes of the day.

Her eyes were on the case file in front of her, but her mind was elsewhere. Specifically, her mind was on the man sitting only a few feet away from her, his attention apparently focused on his own case file as he sifted through the paperwork laid out in front of him.

"Whatcha gawkin' at, Montana?" His question caught her off guard, and she quickly snapped back to reality, realizing that her gaze had drifted up from her desk and she had been caught staring at him. "See something you like?" he asked, looking up from his own paperwork and grinning at her.

"Yeah. Flack is standing right behind you," she replied, laughing as his head spun around to look over his shoulder.

"Very funny," he said, as he returned to shuffling through his papers, trying to appear nonchalant. "Ha, ha."

"Seriously, Danny," she said, "He was right behind you, blowing little kisses at me. You just missed him."

"Uh huh," he said, rolling his eyes as he tucked his paperwork away for the day. "Well, I was gonna see if you wanted to hang out, maybe grab a beer or something… But if you're going to be mean to me, then I'll just have to find someone else to spend my time with. Someone who appreciates me."

"Danny, don't sulk," she said as she shoved her own paperwork into her drawer and grabbed her sweater from the back of her chair. "No one likes to see a grown man pouting. It's very unattractive."

Danny gave her a sidelong look, and she saw a mischievous glint in his eyes that made her insides do little cartwheels.

"So, you're saying that when I'm not pouting…"

"Finish that sentence, Messer. I dare you," she replied tartly, giving him a playful smile.

She stood up and made her way out into the hall as Danny packed away the remainder of his stuff before grabbing his own jacket and following her out of their office.

"You pleading the fifth, Montana?" he asked. Although he was walking in step just behind her, she could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

She smiled to herself as she pushed open the locker room doors, Danny still hot on her heels. She turned to face him, surprised at his close proximity. She could feel the heat generated by his body as she stood next to him. He was staring down at her, his wide blue eyes ablaze with mischief.

"Maybe," she said, answering his question. She looked up at him alluringly through her lashes. "Or maybe I just don't want to hurt your feelings, so I'm avoiding the question all together."

Her heart skipped a beat as he stepped forward, right into her personal space, his face mere inches from hers.

"Go on," he challenged her softly. "Answer the question, Lindsay."

She swallowed hard, trying to buy herself time to calm down the maelstrom of emotions currently swirling around inside of her. She stared up at his face and she could see her own brown eyes reflected in his glasses and for a few seconds, her mind went completely blank.

"Um… what was the question?" she breathed.

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of his lips and Lindsay's breath hitched in the back of her throat as he started to lean in toward her. And just as she had back in the courtroom in Bozeman, she felt drawn to him, closing her eyes and lifting herself up on her tip toes, her body trembling at the prospect of his lips against hers.

"Danno! You in here?"

Lindsay's heart sank as she heard the locker room door slam open and Don Flack's voice calling out to his friend. She opened her eyes in time to see Danny give her a hesitant smile before he answered Flack.

"Yeah, Don," he said. "Over here." He stepped back from Lindsay turning to his locker and keying in his combination before pulling the door open. As she heard Flack's footsteps drawing closer, Lindsay quickly moved to her own locker. She unlocked and opened it, digging through the contents to find her purse and jacket. She snuck a peek over at Danny and she swore she could see a small frown on his face as he carefully placed his gun and badge on the top shelf. He turned his head and saw her looking at him, giving her a little wink and a smile before turning his attention to Flack, who had just rounded the corner.

"Hey man. Oh, hey, Monroe," he said as he leaned against the bank of lockers. "We're all heading over to Sullivan's for some drinks. You in?"

Danny looked casually over at Lindsay, giving her a questioning glance. "Montana? You up for a few?"

She gave him a small, nervous smile before nodding her head. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm in."

"Great!" Flack said, rubbing his hands together in glee. "This is gonna be awesome. I don't know about you two, but after such a shitty day, I think we could all stand to let loose a little."

"Amen to that," Lindsay replied as she closed her locker. She followed Danny and Flack out into the hall and as the three of them stepped into the elevator, she felt the back of her hand brush against Danny's. She held her breath, her heart beating in her chest as she waited for him to pull his hand away.

* * *

Fuck. His friend had the shittiest timing.

Danny fumed silently at Flack as they walked from the locker room to the elevator. The moment had been perfect, and he was going to do it. He was finally going to kiss Lindsay Monroe, the woman who had been in his every waking thought for months now. He had wanted it so badly, and he could tell that she wanted it too by the way she had leaned into him. He had been so close. And then Flack had barged into the room and ruined it. Fucker.

As the elevator doors opened, Danny stepped inside followed closely by Lindsay. As she turned to stand beside him, his breath caught in his throat as her hand brushed against his own. The electricity that coursed through his body at the faintest touch from her made his head spin and he bit his lip, waiting for her to move her hand. After several seconds, it became abundantly clear that she had no intention of pulling away. He hazarded a quick glance over at her and he smiled to himself as he saw her staring down at their hands, a beautiful blush on her cheeks.

* * *

After the elevator doors had opened, Lindsay, Danny and Flack had exited the building, quickly walking the few short blocks to Sullivan's. As Danny held the door open for her, she saw that they were the last to arrive. Mac, Stella, Adam, Hawkes and Sid were all sitting around their regular table with drinks set in front of them. She sat down beside Stella, her friend giving her a warm, welcoming smile. After removing her jacket she leaned back and listened to her friends and co-workers discuss their days, the struggles they'd faced and the difficulties they'd overcome during their shifts.

But Lindsay's thoughts were elsewhere. In her mind she was back in the locker room with Danny. But this time there were no interruptions. No obstacles. When he leaned in to kiss her, she had wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her toes, their lips a hair's breadth from touching as she felt his arms encircle her waist, pulling her closer.

"Hey, Linds."

Lindsay's mind was jolted back to reality as a voice interrupted her daydream.

"What?" she snapped, annoyed that she couldn't even catch a break in her fantasies. She turned to see Danny lowering himself into the chair beside her, a startled look on his face. She blushed as all conversation at the table ceased and she could feel all eyes were on her.

"Uh… your drink?" Danny said almost apologetically as he slid her Caesar toward her. Mortified, she closed her eyes, letting out a soft groan and wishing that a crack would suddenly open in the floor and swallow her whole.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I was… thinking. And you… um…" her voice trailed off and she shrugged her shoulders, giving him a shy smile. "I'm Sorry?"

"S'okay," he said, smiling timidly at her. He sat down, scootching his chair a few inches closer to hers and resting his arm casually on the back of her chair. Conversation soon picked up again, and Lindsay let herself start to relax. She shifted slightly so that she could feel Danny's arm against the back of her shoulders and sipped her drink, making a conscious effort not to let herself drift off again. She joined in a few conversations, but the truth was, she couldn't concentrate.

She was so torn. She knew that she wanted Danny. She had wanted him for a long time. But she had pushed him away and she knew she had no right to hope that he still had the same feelings for her.

When she had left for Bozeman, she had been so sure that she had missed her chance with him. If truth be told, getting on that plane had been the hardest thing she had ever done in her life. Not only because of what she would be facing as a witness against the man who had murdered her friends, but also because of what – or rather who – she was leaving behind.

She had been at her very lowest, about two inches above rock bottom, when she heard the courtroom doors creak open. In the midst of her testimony, she drew her gaze up from her tightly clenched hands to see who it was that had entered the room. She stared at the man in front of her, unsure if she was seeing things or if he was really there in the flesh. He was supposed to be thousands of miles away. Why was he standing in front of her?

Danny had stared back at her for a moment before giving her a small encouraging nod and moving to find a seat in the crowded courtroom. She had needed a minute to collect herself, and suddenly, all the words she had been struggling to find, all the memories she had been fighting to repress, came flooding back. The testimony that she had been nervously struggling to give was suddenly effortless as the words she had desperately searched for only a few moments before now came so easily to her.

She had sat, her hand held tightly in his as the Forewoman read the verdict. He had pulled her into a tight embrace after Daniel Cadence had been declared guilty and led away in shackles to prison for the rest of his natural life. And when the courtroom had cleared, he had turned to leave, but she had been drawn to him. She had stood on her tiptoes, leaning forward, pulling him toward her, their lips nearly touching.

The flashes had been blinding and she and Danny had both realized that this was not the right moment for a first kiss – surrounded by clamouring reporters and photographers looking for a juicy story. He had taken her hand firmly in his and led her out a side door, back to his rental car.

She smiled to herself as she remembered. He had been so adorably tired, his voice low and gravelly as she'd bought him a coffee before he had to catch an evening flight back to New York. She'd asked him to stay longer, to meet her family. But he'd had work the next morning and needed to get back, get some sleep. She'd watched him try to stay awake long enough to hold a conversation with her over their coffee, and had smiled warmly at him each time he'd jerked himself awake, spilling coffee all over himself in the process. This wasn't the Danny Messer she had first met back at the zoo all those months ago. But it was the Danny Messer that she quickly found herself falling for.

"Earth to Lindsay!"

Jarred once again from her thoughts, Lindsay looked up to see her group of friends standing up and tugging on their coats. Clearly, the evening was over and everyone was getting ready to head home. She turned to see Stella staring back at her, a look of concern on her face.

"Hey, you okay, kiddo?" she asked. "You've been quiet all night. Something on your mind?"

Lindsay smiled at her friend. "Yeah. Something like that," she said. "I'm fine, Stella. Just tired. And frustrated. It's been a long day."

"You alright getting home?" Stella asked. "Do you want to share a cab? Or you can stay at my place?"

Lindsay shook her head. The last thing she wanted right now was to have Stella worriedly hovering over her, making sure she was alright. She was fine, she just needed some time to think. To sort things out in her head.

"I'll take her home, Stell."

Lindsay looked over to see Danny approaching the table, having paid his tab at the bar. Stella's gaze shifted back and forth between the two. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she gave a satisfied nod of her head.

"Good," she said. "Then that's settled. Have a good night, you two."

"G'night, Stell," Danny said. He turned to Lindsay and held out his hand to help her up. "You ready?" he asked.

He helped her into her jacket and held the door open for her as they stepped out into the cold night air. She shivered slightly, snuggling down into her warm jacket and shoving her hands deep into her pockets. She felt Danny's hand on the small of her back as they walked along the crowded Manhattan sidewalk toward her apartment.

"You have fun tonight?" he asked as they meandered slowly through the throng of people heading the other direction.

"Yeah," she said. "But I wish the pool table had opened up. I wanted to win my money back from the last time you kicked my butt."

Danny grinned at her. "Yeah, you wish, Montana," he scoffed.

"One day I'm going to make you eat those words, Messer," she said.

"Oh yeah?" he challenged her. "You wanna bet? I gotta pool table back at my place. We can settle this right now. Best of three, winner takes all."

"You have a pool table?" she asked. He grinned, nodding his head. "In your apartment?" Again he nodded. "But… your place is so small!"

"What? I'm one person. How much furniture do I need?"

"Ugh. You are such a guy," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"If you've got cold feet you can just say so," he taunted her. "Really, I would understand. I'd be scared of getting my ass kicked too."

"That's it. You're going down, Messer," she said.

"Alright! That's my girl," he said as he stopped in the middle of the street, turning and heading in the direction of his place.

* * *

As soon as they had entered the apartment, she had dropped her coat on a chair and watched as Danny expertly racked the balls on the table. After the first game, she had asked for a drink, telling him that she needed something to wash down the bitter taste of defeat. He had grinned at her and broken out the tequila.

After her inhibitions had been loosened a bit by the tequila, Lindsay was surprised to find herself winning the second game, but not by much. She kept getting distracted as she watched Danny make his moves on the table. She longed to reach out and rest her hand on the swell of his backside, to let her fingers drift under the fabric of his shirt and feel the heat of his skin as he leaned over the table to make a particularly difficult shot. It had taken every ounce of restraint she could muster not to do so.

As she sunk the eight ball in the corner pocket, she had turned to Danny, smiling as she wiggled in a little victory dance. He grinned good-naturedly at her and gave her a congratulatory hug. As she pulled away, she wobbled on her heel and tripped, falling back into his arms, their faces inches apart. She stared up at him and he gave her a small smile before leaning in toward her.

"I have to go to the bathroom."

Danny froze and she mentally kicked herself. What was wrong with her? She wanted this. She had been thinking about it all day. For days, actually. Months even. And now that there were finally no interruptions, she had ruined the moment. She looked up at him, seeing the confused and hurt look on his face as he stepped back, nodding his head down the hall. She gave him a timid smile before turning to stride quickly into the bathroom, closing the door behind her and letting out a soft groan as she leaned back against the door. After collecting herself, she stepped forward, looking at her reflection in the mirror.

_Does he really __want me? s_he asked herself._ Why would he? I pushed him away. Kept him at arm's length. I missed my chance. We're just friends - good friends. We don't want to mess that up… right? _

She glanced back at the door, picturing him standing alone and confused in his living room. She shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. She ran her fingers through her loose curls, turning away from the mirror and pushing her doubts to the back of her mind.

Turning on the tap, she collected a handful of water and splashed it over her face. As she replaced the hand towel on the hook by the sink she heard a soft tap at the door.

"Montana? You okay?"

"I'm fine, Danny. I'll be right out."

Lindsay took one last look in the mirror. _Who am I kidding?_ she asked herself. _I want him. More than I've ever wanted anyone._

Grabbing the doorknob, she opened the door and stepped out into the hall, ready to pick up right where she had left off.

**

* * *

**

So? Did we like? Yay? Nay?

**Like I mentioned… there is another chapter coming. And seeing as we didn't get to *that* scene in this chapter… well, I'll let you figure out what's coming up next!**

**As always, reviews are more than welcome. I love to hear back from readers, so please don't be shy about leaving a quick note to let me know what you thought!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Um… wow. Just… I… no words… ****Your responses to this story were truly amazing and left me slightly speechless. Thank you so much! **

**Before you launch into Chapter 2, I would just like to take a moment to let you all know what I had to go through to write this chapter. It was such a burden to have to watch *that* scene in Snow Day over and over again (like a hundred billion times) trying to get everything just right. *Le sigh* Now I know the true meaning of suffering for your art. **

**And... cue laughter. I know, I know. Poor me, right? **

**On a more serious note, I was issued a challenge a few weeks ago (you know who you are!) to make my smut more "soulful" and less about the dirty talk. Well, never one to turn down a challenge (okay, that's a huge lie… I turn down lots of challenges... but don't you judge me – challenges are hard!) I picked up the gauntlet and have tried a slightly different approach with this story. It's not been easy, and it's definitely been (for lack of a better word) challenging to try to express myself in a different way when it comes to smut.**

**And on that note, I shall leave you to (hopefully!) enjoy the second half of this two-shot.**

* * *

Danny was dumbfounded. He was so sure he had been reading her signals right. They had been flirting all evening, and before that, back in the locker room, they had come so close. But his certainty began to wane as he watched her retreating form head down the hallway to the bathroom. He wasn't sure at all anymore. As he listened to the soft click of the bathroom door closing he stood there, confused and worried that he had let the moment slip away from him.

He had given her time. A lot of time. He had given her all the time she needed to come to terms with the demons from her past. He had been a good friend, which is what she had needed to get through the trial and the horrible memories it raked up in her. But now? Now all that was behind her, and he wanted more. And he had been so certain that she wanted it too. But when the moment finally arrived, when they had finally been alone, with nothing and no one to interrupt them, she had pulled away once again and left him in the lurch, unsure of where they stood and what she wanted from him.

An unsettling thought occurred to him. What if what she wanted wasn't him? What if she just wanted to stay friends? Or worse - what if she wanted someone else? He didn't know if he had it in him to watch some other guy have the happiness with her that he had sought after for so long. He moved down the hall, intent on getting the answers he needed. Raising his hand, he knocked softly on the bathroom door.

"Montana? You okay?" he asked tentatively.

"I'm fine, Danny. I'll be right out."

Hearing the hesitation in her voice as she answered him, his heart sank. He couldn't do it. He couldn't demand answers from her if she wasn't ready to give them. He turned and walked back out to the living room, pouring himself a shot of tequila – _liquid courage_, he thought acerbically - and leaning against the pool table as he threw back the amber liquid, wincing as it burned his throat on the way down. He would wait and see how the rest of the evening played out. After months of waiting, what were a few more minutes?

* * *

Lindsay smiled shyly at Danny as she re-entered the living room.

"Hey," she said, taking a tentative step forward.

"Hey yourself," he replied, giving her a small and reassuring smile as he pushed himself up off the table, dropping his empty shot glass down on the bar. "You ready to play?" he asked. She nodded her head, accepting the pool cue he held out for her. "You wanna break? Or do you want me to?" he asked.

"Well, seeing as I won…" she said, "I guess that means you break."

They resumed their game, but something was different. Danny thought he had pushed too far at the end of the last game and that Lindsay would shy away from him. But in fact, exactly the opposite was true. She seemed to be finding any little excuse to stand beside him, to brush up against him. And now only the eight ball was left and it was his turn. He smiled as he realized that he had the perfect shot; that everything was lined up just right. All he had to do was tap the eight ball gently and the game was his.

"Ten bucks says you don't make that shot, Messer," she whispered. He scoffed in response and continued to draw the cue back through his fingers.

"You're on," he said. "Hope you like losing."

As he moved to tap the ball, he felt her hand on his back, her fingers trailing along the exposed skin between the hem of his shirt and his belt. The unexpected touch made him jump, clumsily knocking the cue ball into the eight, sending it flying off in the wrong direction.

He turned his head to find her staring back at him, a satisfied little smirk on her face.

"You did that on purpose," he said, shaking his head in mock disgust. "You know, I never thought you'd stoop so low as to cheat just to beat me, Montana."

"It's not cheating if we both get something out of it, Danny." He felt his heart skip a beat as she reached out to take hold of the cue in his hand, running her fingers up and down the shaft a few times before pulling it from his grip.

He watched as she sauntered around the table, casting him a flirtatious smile over her shoulder as she bent low to take her shot. He glanced down at the table, realizing that he still had a chance to win the game as her only option would be to make what he knew would be an impossible shot.

"There's no way you're gonna make that shot," he said as he moved to stand beside her.

"Oh yeah?" she challenged, turning to face him. His breath caught in his throat as she took a step forward. "A Benjamin says I do."

"I'll drink to that," he said. He turned and poured two shots of tequila, handing one to her. She grinned at him as they clinked their glasses together before tossing their drinks back. Lindsay handed him her empty glass before she leaned forward, concentrating on the table in front of her. She expertly lined up her shot and Danny watched in amazement as the eight ball bounced off the far wall and slid effortlessly into the corner pocket. How the hell had she done that? His thoughts momentarily turned to his wallet, empty after paying their tab down at the bar earlier that night. He grinned sheepishly at her as she ambled over to him, a wicked little smile on her face.

"You owe me a hundred dollars," she said, nudging him in the chest.

"You know what?" he asked, dropping his gaze to the floor. "You're gonna have to wait till payday."

"No."

His head snapped up and he looked at her.

"Uh…"

"You either pay me now… or you come up with something better."

She was staring up at him, her wide brown eyes dark and smoldering. His mind suddenly went blank as he registered how close she was to him. His entire body felt like it had just been set on fire and the desire to just reach out and grab her, to press her to him, was quickly becoming overwhelming.

* * *

Lindsay was taken aback by her own boldness. Had she really just said what she _thought _she'd said? She waited for a reaction from Danny, holding her breath as she watched him contemplate his options.

Her insides fluttered as he began to lean in toward her. Unable to control herself any longer, she let go of the pool cue in her hand, hearing it clatter to the floor as she rested her hand against his chest, trailing her fingers up to his neck. She closed her eyes, pushing herself up onto her tiptoes until she felt his lips gently brush against her own.

She pushed him gently until he was backed against the pool table and then she lunged forward, capturing his lips with hers. Little explosions were going off in her head as she felt his body relax and he finally wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them. She had imagined this moment so many times - how his lips would feel, how he would taste, how good it would feel to finally be held in his arms. Her fantasies had been frequent and vivid, but they paled in comparison to the real thing. She felt a shiver run down her spine as Danny's hands gently caressed her back while his lips hungrily devoured her own. But it wasn't enough. She wanted more.

She ran her tongue along the seam of his lips, begging for entrance. She needed to taste him, to explore his mouth. She shivered at the low moan that emanated from deep inside Danny as he parted his lips for her. She gently stroked her fingers up and down his neck, teasing the short hairs on the back of his head as she ran her tongue along his.

Her hands traced a path down his chest until she reached the hem of his t-shirt, fingering the material gently. As she slid her hands under his shirt, she smiled at the warmth of his skin and the way his body tensed as she ran her fingers up his spine. She felt his muscles flexing as she drew intricate patterns on his lower back with her fingertips.

God, she had wanted this for so long, and it felt so good. _He_ felt so good. She had never been forward, never been the one to make the first move. But with Danny it was different. He had proven to her, over and over again, that she could trust him, that he would be there for her. And she knew that she was safe with him.

Taking a giant leap out of her comfort zone, Lindsay grabbed the hem of Danny's shirt and began to pull it upward, needing to see his body, to see what she had been missing all these months. As she tugged, he broke their kiss, pulling away and staring back at her, his blue eyes wide and his lips swollen and wet from her kisses. He smiled at her, still panting and breathless. He lifted one hand to gently stroke her cheek.

"Are you sure?" he breathed. "Really sure? Because I want this, Lindsay. I want it so bad. But I need to know that this is what you really want. That _I'm_ what you really want."

She closed her eyes, feeling his breath against her cheek as he pulled her close.

"I'm sure, Danny. So sure," she whispered against his shoulder. "I want this. I want you. I want _you_, Danny."

As if to prove her point, she reaffirmed her grip on his t-shirt and began to pull it upward once more. He took a step back from her, raising his arms above his head and she bit her lip as she pulled the garment up over his arms and tossed it to the floor. She stood back and gazed at him, at his sculpted chest, his toned arms, at the fine trail of hair that started at his belly button and disappeared into the waistband of his low-slung jeans.

"God, you're beautiful," she breathed. Taking a step forward she reached out, skimming her hand across his chest, feeling his heart thudding beneath his ribs. She felt him shiver as her fingers grazed across his nipple and she looked up at his face and smiled at him. "You have no idea, do you?" she asked. He looked back at her questioningly, his head tilted at an angle. "You have no idea how much I want you. How long I've been thinking about what this would be like."

Suddenly, his hands were on her body once again as he pulled her closer and she let out a low moan as he began to place a trail of kisses from her mouth down to her neck. She dug her fingernails into his bare back as he gently nipped at the skin just below her ear and she tilted her head to allow him better access. She sighed as he pulled back, cupping her face in his hands and pressing soft kisses to her lips. She couldn't get enough of this feeling, of his lips on hers, his hands on her body. But the fabric of her shirt was beginning to frustrate her and she longed to feel his skin against hers. She took a step back, smiling up at him as she slowly drew her shirt up over her head. She felt his hands as they slid up her back, following in the wake of the fabric. She stilled her movements and let him grab the shirt, pulling it off of her before he flung it to the floor.

His hands were on her again, his arms wrapped around her and she felt herself lifted up effortlessly as Danny turned and sat her on the edge of the pool table. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, and she tossed her head back in ecstasy as Danny kissed his way down her neck and began to lavish kisses on her collar bone.

"Danny, please," she begged as he placed open-mouth kisses to the valley between her breasts. "Please… I can't wait any more."

"Lindsay, I want to do this right," he murmured as he nuzzled the delicate skin exposed above the lacy cup of her bra. "I've waited too long to rush through this."

"Danny, we have all night," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. "You can take your time later. But right now, I need you." She heard his breath hitch in his throat at her words, his hands gently squeezing her hips as he moved to rest his forehead against hers. "Do you have a condom?" she asked, stroking his face with her fingers.

"Yeah… in the bedroom," he replied. She felt his body tense as he prepared to pick her up and move into the bedroom.

"Wait," she said. She smiled shyly up at him. "I have one in my pocket."

She couldn't resist giggling as he arched his eyebrow at her.

"You have one in your pocket?" he asked. She nodded her head and a slow smile spread across his face. "You hoping to get lucky tonight?" he asked.

She pulled him to her, placing kisses along his neck, gently tugging on his earlobe with her teeth.

"I've been hoping to get lucky every night since you came to Montana for me, Danny," she whispered in his ear. His sharp intake of breath told her that her words had the desired effect. She'd let him know, in no uncertain terms, that this was not some spur of the moment fling, or something that she was doing just to amuse herself. "Danny? Say something. Anything… please?" She kissed his neck, running her fingers up and down his back, waiting for him to respond.

"Which pocket?"

She smiled into his shoulder and squeezed him tighter in her arms.

"My back pocket," she said. She felt Danny's hands slide from her hips to her backside and he squeezed her firmly through the fabric of her jeans. She felt his fingers dip into her pockets and she smiled as he took a little longer than necessary to find what he was looking for. "Need a little help back there, Messer?"

"Just being thorough," he replied as he pulled his hands from her jeans, the condom pinched between two fingers. He held it out to her and she shivered at the desire she could see glinting in his eyes. Taking the condom from him, she placed it on the edge of the table before unwrapping her legs from around his waist and shuffling back on the pool table. That was all the invitation he needed as he hopped up beside her and once again pulled her to him. He pulled off his glasses, tucking them into one of the pockets on the table. Then his hands sought out her belt and before she even knew what was happening, he had her unbuckled and was dragging her pants down her legs.

She reached for his own belt, her fingers fumbling with the clasp as Danny ran his hands up and down her thighs. His touch sent electric currents surging through her body making it very difficult to concentrate. Finally, the belt was undone and she moved to his fly, unbuttoning and unzipping him. Unable to resist, she let her hand linger on growing bulge in the front of his pants before she hooked her fingers into his belt loops and tugged his pants down.

She watched as he kicked his legs free from his pants before turning his attention back to her. He gently pushed her onto her back and moved so that he was on top of her. She tangled her legs with his, loving the feeling of his whole body in alignment with hers and she was amazed at how comfortable and familiar it felt to look up and see his face gazing down at her from this position.

He leaned down, nuzzling into her neck and shoulders. Her heart started beating faster in her chest as she felt his hands slide underneath her as he released the clasps on her bra. Hooking his fingers into the straps, he slowly drew the lacy fabric from her body. Exposed to him, she felt slightly self-conscious, wondering for the first time that night if her body was what he had expected. But Danny was quick to set her mind at ease.

"Wow, Linds... you're just... you're so beautiful," he whispered to her, causing her cheeks to flush a rosy pink. He smiled down at her as he tenderly caressed her breasts, cupping them in his hands and running his thumbs over her nipples. She closed her eyes, not daring to believe that this was actually happening. She was going to wake up, someone was going to interrupt her and she would find herself sitting at her desk, frustrated by yet another broken dream.

But she wasn't dreaming. She knew she wasn't dreaming. Because no dream had ever felt this good. She gasped as Danny took one nipple in his mouth, swirling his tongue around until it had hardened. He bit down gently, twisting the pink nub between his teeth and she arched up into him, panting his name as her fingers tangled in his hair. Her sighs and moans increased in volume when he shifted on top of her, his erection pressing into her thigh as he repeated the same process on her other breast.

Releasing her from his mouth, he shifted again, moving up so that he could kiss her, his tongue mingling with hers. Breathless, she pulled away and stared up at him, unable to believe how alive he'd made her feel, how her body tingled at his touch. She needed him, and the anticipation was causing her to burn up from the inside out. She ran her fingers down his side, slipping her hand down into the back of his boxers, caressing his backside. God, how was it possible that he felt so right in the curve of her hand? She squeezed gently, her heart soaring as he let out a low moan filled with desire.

She pushed his boxers down his thighs and Danny did the rest, rolling onto his back and kicking the garment from his legs, sending it flying off the end of the table. Shyly, she trailed her eyes down his body, following the trail of hair from his belly until her eyes came to rest on his cock. She bit her lip, glancing up at his face. As he stared back at her, she could see the hesitation in his eyes. Just as she had done, he was wondering if he was all that she'd expected, all that she'd hoped for.

But he had no reason to fear. His body was the most amazing that she had ever seen, and she traced her fingers down his torso in awe of his physique. It had crossed her mind many times in the past that he could have anyone, any woman that he wanted. But he'd wanted her. He'd waited for her. She rolled onto her side, skimming her hand down his body. And as her fingers curled around his erection, she was filled with a warmth for the man beside her, a warmth that had nothing to do with his body or the arousal she felt when he touched her. No, this warmth came from his eyes, his smile, his laugh. It came from his soul and she would be forever grateful that he had given her the time she needed to appreciate all the little things about him that made him so special to her.

She continued to stroke him and couldn't help but feel little flutters of desire as he closed his eyes and bit his lip, panting in time with her strokes. Opening his eyes, he turned, reaching for the condom still sitting on the edge of the table, but she was faster. She grabbed it with one hand while continuing to skim her fingers along his cock with the other. Her eyes locked with his as she brought the wrapper to her lips, tearing it open with her teeth. Once unwrapped, she reached down, and rolled the sheath down over Danny's now throbbing erection.

She let out a little shriek of surprise as he suddenly rolled over onto his stomach, pinning her to the table. She sighed as she felt his hands on her again, his fingers moving slowly down from her hips as he pulled her panties down. He kept his eyes locked with her as he did so, as if he was giving her one last chance to tell him to stop, one last moment of privacy before she revealed her whole self to him. She leaned forward, her lips meeting his as she felt the lace fall away from her legs. He traced his hands back up to her hips before they skimmed down to the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Pulling apart from their kiss, he moved so that he was hovering above her, gently parting her legs. She sighed as his thumbs grazed over her curls, and her body shivered, impatient for his next touch.

"Montana..."

"Danny, please," she whispered. "Please... I need you. I want you."

He bowed his head down, pressing his lips against hers in a sweet and gentle kiss as he lowered his body onto hers. And then, as he slowly slid himself into her, she let out a moan of ecstasy against his lips, her fingers curling into the firm flesh of his arms. The feeling of him moving inside of her was beyond her expectations, beyond description. He fit so perfectly in her, she felt as though her body had been made to accommodate him.

"You okay?" he asked tentatively. She nodded her head, brushing her lips against his. She slid her hands up from his biceps and curled her fingers into the hairs at the nape of his neck before tilting her hips up against his, urging him to start moving.

And move he did. He set a rhythm that was slow and languorous, and she couldn't help but move her own body in time with his. He filled her, over and over again, and she felt as though she would explode from the exquisite sensation of their bodies moving together as one.

His pace quickened as he rocked against her, inside of her. As he kissed his way down to the tender joint between her shoulder and neck, she scraped her fingernails down his back, reveling at the groan of pleasure her actions drew from his lips. She couldn't hold back the rapturous sighs and blissful gasps that escaped from her as his hands roamed freely over her body. She hitched her legs up higher, her heels pressing firmly into his ass as she spread her legs wider, allowing him deeper access.

"Danny... oh, God..."

"Come on, Lindsay," Danny whispered in her ear. "I can feel you, Montana. Let go. Let go for me."

"Oh... God," she panted. "So close, Danny... so close..."

She panted his name until he covered her mouth with his own in a searing kiss that made her head spin and caused tremors of delight to ripple through her. And then suddenly, she lost all control. Pulling away from his kiss, she threw her head back and called out his name, her body arching against his as a pleasure unlike any she had ever experienced spiraled through her. She clung to him as her body continued to tremble, little aftershocks of ecstasy causing her toes to curl and her fingers to clutch at the soft skin of his back.

And through it all, she felt Danny. She felt him moving inside of her, felt his hand on her breasts, the other between her thighs as he stroked her aching clit. She felt his lips on her neck, heard his shallow, rapid breaths as he helped her through her orgasm, now desperately seeking his own.

She turned her head, dragging her nails up and down his back as she whispered encouraging words in his ear. She told him how good he made her feel, how amazing it had felt to come while he was inside of her, and how much she wanted to feel his own orgasm while he was buried deep within her. He raised his head, gazing down at her and she captured his lips, her tongue matching the rhythm of his hips. She slid her hand down between their bodies, grazing her nails over his nipples and she sighed into his mouth as she felt his body tense.

He moaned as he broke their kiss, calling out her name and writhing as his orgasm finally ripped through him. Lindsay held him tightly to her, continuing to gently rock her hips against his, wanting to prolong his satisfaction for as long as possible. Finally spent, he collapsed, being careful to rest his weight on his arms. He leaned down and placed his forehead against her shoulder and she stroked his back gently as he came down from the heights of his orgasm. He pressed a kiss to her neck before he lifted his head, pushing himself up so that he could gaze down at her. She squeezed him gently between her legs and smiled up at him.

"You tricked me," she whispered. "I thought we were going to take our time _later_."

"Yeah, well," he said, grinning down at her. "I told you that I wanted to do this right. Like I said, I waited too long to just rush through this."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down and kissing him deeply. Breathless once again, he pulled away, raising his hand to gently tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Does that kiss mean that I'm forgiven?" he asked, winking at her.

"Maybe," she said. "Or maybe it means that you'll have to make it up to me over and over again until I'm sure that you've learned your lesson."

"Mmm," he murmured as he lowered his head to kiss her neck. "You're a cruel woman, Montana. A cruel, cruel woman."

With a final kiss to her shoulder he lifted himself off of her, rolling over and pushing himself from the table. He stretched as he walked down the hall to discard the condom and bring back some blankets and pillows for them. Lindsay watched his retreating form, her eyes resting on his perfect ass until he disappeared behind the bathroom door. She sighed and stretched as she rolled onto her side, a small smile playing on her lips as she thought about how their night had progressed.

For months, their timing had been off. There had always been some reason not to be with him, some excuse she could use to push him away. But despite it all, he hadn't let her go, not really. He'd been there when she'd needed him, given her space when she'd thought it was what she'd wanted, and he'd never pushed her, giving her the time she needed to figure out that what she wanted and needed most was him. All their struggles, all the emotional upheavals had culminated in this one perfect night.

She smiled as she saw him walking back toward her, his arms laden with blankets and pillows. He handed her the pillows and spread the blanket over her before he hopped back up on the table beside her, pulling the blanket tightly around them. He lay down and she rolled over on her side, resting her head on his chest, her arm slung over his stomach. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, his fingers running through her hair. She let out a contented sigh as she snuggled into his side.

"What time is it?" she asked.

He lifted his arm, turning his wrist to glance at his watch. "It's late," he said. "You've got an early shift tomorrow, don't you?"

"Mmm," she replied drowsily. "You?"

"Nah. I get to sleep in."

"Jerk," she said.

"Go to sleep or you'll be grumpy in the morning."

"Mmm… I'm never grumpy," she said, yawning.

"Uh huh. Sure. Whatever you say, Montana."

"You still owe me that apology, mister," she said, prodding him gently in the chest.

"I'll make it up to you tomorrow, okay?" he replied, kissing her forehead. "I promise."

"You better," she said. "Or I'm gonna be looking for my hundred bucks."

She listened as Danny chuckled, the sound rising up from deep within his chest. She thought that was a sound she could get used to. It sounded familiar and comforting. She nuzzled against his chest, feeling safe and happy in his arms, the sound of his heart beating beneath his ribs quickly lulling her to sleep.

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So… what did we think? *she asked nervously* I hope that you found this to be a fitting conclusion to the story, and that it was **still satisfying, even though it was a little bit different from my usual style of writing. **

**As always, your reviews and comments are most welcome! **


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